If you are thinking about buying a swim spa you may be wondering…is a swim spa worth the money?? Keep reading to find out whether a swim spa is worth the money you will spend. As a swim spa owner I have some experience and can tell you the truth about swim spa ownership!
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WHAT IS A SWIM SPA?
A swim spa is similar to a swimming pool, but combines a hot tub with features for water exercise and therapy.
Swim spas were created to be a place where water fitness can happen, but they are so much more!
Most swim spas range in size from 12-19 feet long to 6-9 feet wide.
They are like a small swimming pool with awesome additional features!
Swim spas have strong jets on one end that allow you to swim against the “current” and do lap-type swimming.
Most spas have hot tub seats on the other end and areas where you can attach exercise bands and equipment.
CAN I REALLY SWIM IN A SWIM SPA?
I swim in my swim spa. It isn't the same as swimming in a regular pool because a regular pool has still water.
Because a swim spa isn't long enough to swim normal laps it requires currents to swim against so you stay in one general area.
I still get all the benefits of swimming without the need for a regular sized pool.
There are different types and brands of swim spas and I cannot speak to how well they all work, but the one I have is great for lap swimming.
IS A SWIM SPA WORTH THE MONEY?
I will not beat around the bush. Swim spas are not cheap.
Is a swim spa worth the money? I think it all depends, LOL.
A swim spa is still much less money than an inground pool.
The spa is heated so it can be used year round. We live in Kansas and it not possible to keep an outdoor pool open during the cold winter months. Luckily I can keep on using my swim spa even during the dead of winter!
If you USE the spa regularly then I think it can be a good investment.
I would not advise spending the money if you are only going to use it occasionally or if you are only using it for the hot tub features.
In that case it would be more cost effective to get a simple hot tub.
BENEFITS OF A SWIM SPA
One of the main reasons we bought our swim spa is because I have Rheumatoid Arthritis.
As the disease has progressed over the years it has become harder and harder for me to do regular types of exercise because it causes a lot of joint pain.
My doctor had mentioned the benefits of water exercise multiple times, but we don't have an indoor recreational pool in our town.
The warm water is good for my joints and having a a low impact work out to do is wonderful and keeps my joints a little more flexible.
It is also like having a small pool. My kids go out and “swim” and I also love to lay in a full size floatie and read during the summer months.
SWIM SPA SPECIFICS
Another nice thing about a swim spa is that you don't have to dig a big hole in your yard.
It is important to have a solid cement pad for the spa to sit on because they are HEAVY!
These can be recessed or placed next to a deck. It works best to have a garden hose nearby for easy filling.
You also need to have power run to the swim spa. Different spas will have different power requirements. This did cost us extra because we had to have an electrician come out and run a special box to the area where we put the spa.
SWIM SPA MAINTENANCE
There is some maintenance involved in swim spa ownership.
The water has to be tested for pH levels. There are chemicals that need to be added each week or more often depending on usage.
Filters have to be cleaned each month and changed out routinely.
The spa we have recommends draining all the water and refilling at least once a year.
HIDDEN COSTS WITH A SWIM SPA
When you ask… is a swim spa worth the money….you need to remember that there will be ongoing costs involved beyond the purchase price!
The swim spa we have is a mineral-based swim spa, but it still requires some different chemicals. I am estimating that these cost $500-$1000 per year including new filters.
Another HIDDEN cost is the increase in electricity usage. I have to say that our salesman DOWNPLAYED this a lot and acted like we would hardly notice a difference.
That is NOT the result we have had with our swim spa. This would definitely vary depending on where you live. I did adjust some settings on the spa and it helped some, but we still pay more each month then we did previously.
IS A SWIM SPA FOR YOU?
I hope this helped answer some questions you may have about whether a swim spa is worth the money for your family.
It is a big purchase and there are a lot of pros and cons to consider.
Feel free to comment or email if you have specific questions and I will do my best to answer!
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Hi there!
We have the Masterspa H2X 15d swimspa, and you are SPOT ON about the sales rep downplaying the monthly electric usage. Ours went up about $50 a month. NOT COOL.
Otherwise, we LOVE our swim spa and get out in it as much as possible.
I am very curious to know how you tweaked your settings, and would like to hear more!
Hello! I’m 37 & I have RA as well. Does the swim spa make a huge difference? I live in Oklahoma and would like more exercise but find it too hard on my joints most days. Has it helped you be more active?
I do love to exercise in the swim spa. The warm water feels so good on my achy body! Whether it helps me be more active all depends on the day. It is a vicious cycle…when I feel the worst…is probably when I need to get in the most…but don’t because I feel bad. I love the swim spa and count it as one of my favorite purchases ever!
I’ve been considering a swim spa – my hot tub (3 steps out on our back patio) recently quit & time to replace – we live in Nebraska & I have a couple of questions:
1. Is your swim spa outside? How far from a door do you have your swim spa & how long to get cover off and on? Not fun to spend a lot of time in frigid weather getting in & out of spa…
2. How low can you turn the temp down in the summer? Can you get it down into the upper 80’s?
Thanks,
Janet
Yes the spa is outside. Mine is 20 feet or so from the back door. Getting the covers off and on is the worst part when it is cold out! Taking them off is quicker and probably takes me 2-3 minutes. Getting them back on takes longer and it is about 5 minutes. In the winter I just wear a thick robe with a hood out and that has made a big difference for me. In the summer we will turn the heat down and it will be in the 80’s. Hope this helps!